Justice Department Finds Fulton County Jail Violates Constitutional Rights, Calls for Urgent Reform
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has released a scathing report detailing systemic violations of constitutional rights at the Fulton County Jail in Georgia, citing dangerous and inhumane conditions that put incarcerated individuals at serious risk. The report, based on an extensive investigation, reveals widespread violations of the 8th and 14th Amendments, as well as federal laws including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
The investigation, which covered the Main Jail in Atlanta and its three annex facilities in Marietta, Alpharetta, and Union City, found that the Fulton County Jail routinely exposes inmates to conditions that include violence, unsanitary living spaces, inadequate healthcare, and discriminatory use of solitary confinement. The jail currently houses around 2,000 inmates, though at times it has surpassed 3,000.
A Pattern of Dangerous Conditions
“The horrific death of Lashawn Thompson is a tragic example of the deadly and dehumanizing conditions at the Fulton County Jail,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Our report finds that both the Fulton County government and the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office have allowed unsafe and unsanitary conditions to persist for years, resulting in harm and loss of life. We are committed to working with local officials to address these failures and ensure that basic constitutional protections are upheld.”
The DOJ’s findings paint a bleak picture of the jail, where detainees face not only the constant threat of violence—homicides, stabbings, and sexual assaults—but also deplorable living conditions. From pest infestations to extreme overcrowding, inmates live in conditions that fail to meet even the most basic standards of health and safety.
Unconstitutional and Unlawful Practices
According to the report, the Fulton County Jail routinely fails to provide the necessary protections or services for incarcerated individuals, with specific violations including:
- Inadequate protection from violence: Inmates face serious harm from other incarcerated individuals, including frequent homicides and stabbings. In 2023 alone, there were over 300 reported stabbings within the jail.
- Unsanitary and unsafe living conditions: Detainees are housed in filthy, unsafe environments that fail to meet basic health and safety standards.
- Inadequate medical and mental health care: The jail provides insufficient medical and mental health services, exacerbating the suffering of those incarcerated.
- Unconstitutional solitary confinement: The use of solitary confinement, particularly for individuals with mental health disabilities or children as young as 17, subjects detainees to significant psychological harm.
- Failure to provide education: The jail fails to provide special education services to incarcerated minors, violating federal law.
The investigation also revealed alarming statistics, including the deaths of six individuals due to violence in the jail from 2022 to 2024 and four suicides within the past four years.
Federal Action and Path Forward
The Justice Department’s investigation was conducted under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA), the Americans with Disabilities Act, and other relevant federal statutes. These laws allow the DOJ to seek court-ordered reforms when systemic violations of constitutional rights occur in correctional facilities.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division emphasized the severity of the violations: “The conditions at the Fulton County Jail amount to a death sentence for many individuals incarcerated there, who are subjected to violence, inadequate care, and cruel treatment. Our findings should serve as a wake-up call for local officials to take immediate action and work with the Department of Justice to address these violations.”
The report’s findings are part of an ongoing investigation and are separate from any criminal cases the Justice Department may pursue. The DOJ has provided Fulton County with a detailed list of necessary corrective measures and expects the county and the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office to engage in a cooperative process to address the systemic deficiencies identified.
A Call for Reform
U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan for the Northern District of Georgia also expressed the urgency of the situation: “The conditions uncovered in the Fulton County Jail are a grave violation of the constitutional rights of those incarcerated there. Our report underscores the need for immediate reform to ensure the safety and dignity of all individuals in the facility.”
The investigation into the Fulton County Jail is part of a broader push by the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division to address unconstitutional conditions in correctional facilities nationwide. Recent investigations have been launched into jails and prisons in Tennessee, California, South Carolina, and Kentucky, with ongoing litigation focused on the Georgia Department of Corrections and Alabama’s prisons.
The division also issued findings in its investigations of Mississippi prisons, Texas juvenile justice system’s facilities, and the Georgia Department of Corrections. The division is also litigating the constitutionality of conditions in Alabama’s prisons for men.
“We are committed to ensuring that every person in custody is treated with dignity and respect, and that they are not subjected to unconstitutional or unlawful conditions,” Clarke said.
The findings from the DOJ’s report now put pressure on Fulton County officials to work alongside the federal government to implement comprehensive reforms, ensuring that the rights and safety of incarcerated individuals are upheld. The Justice Department has vowed to continue monitoring the situation closely and take further action if necessary to protect those in the county’s custody.
